1. Technical Field
This invention relates to migration of two or more computer systems. More specifically, the invention relates to migrating systems based on software and hardware configuration information inherent to each system involved in the migration as provided for by their associated configuration management database.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A configuration management database (CMDB) is a repository of information related to all the components of an information system. Although repositories similar to CMDBs have been used by information technology (IT) departments for many years, the term CMDB stems from information technology infrastructure library (ITIL), which is a framework of best practice approaches intended to facilitate the delivery of high quality information technology services. In the ITIL context, a CMDB represents an authorized configuration of the significant components of the IT environment. A CMDB helps an organization understand the relationships between these components and track their configuration. The CMDB is a fundamental component of the ITIL framework's configuration management process. CMDB implementations often involve the inclusion of data into the CMDB from other sources in such a way that the source of the data retains control of the data.
The CMDB records configuration items (CI) and details regarding the important attributes and relationships between CIs. Configuration managers usually describe CIs using three configurable attributes: technical, ownership, and relationship. The CMDB is integral to configuration management. It enables the consistent, accurate, and cost-effective identification, control, status accounting, and verification of all CIs in the CMDB. The CMDB provides accurate information about hardware, software, and current configuration that enables automated software releases, as well as back-out procedures and project scheduling.
CMDB can discover hardware and software comprising the network. When existing systems are merged into a new system, it is necessary to analyze the hardware and software components of each application within the existing systems to determine their location and role in the new system. In addition, it is necessary to determine whether additional hardware or software will be necessary to maintain performance of the new system. Prior art solutions address migration of a single item, such as a database or storage media, to a new system. For example, JP 2005-31357 and JP1999-184541 both address data migration between a computer and a storage device to maintain continued service during a migration process. In other words, the prior art provides a micro solution, but does not provide a macro solution. Furthermore, neither of these prior art patent applications address the need to provide for optimization of the new system when migrating whole systems. There are many obstacles associated with migrating two or more systems into a new system. A piecemeal approach to the migration of a single component does not address the complicated aspects associated with a large scale migration of entire systems.
Therefore there is a need for a tool that evaluates the merger of two or more computer systems and the software component therein prior to the merge. The system should provide information and guidance on arrangement of integrated software applications on a destination computer system to determine an optimal process for merging the systems.